Fluid-actuated tie tamper



m. w, 1923., wm zz- F. A. JIMERSON FLUID AGTUATED TIE TAMPER Filed July 26. 1921 INVENTOR I fi'om'blzibvwmm .BY 2 g ATTORN Patented Oct. 16, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS A. JIME'RSON, OF ATHENS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGN'OR TO INGERSOLL-RAN'D COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF. NEW JERSEY.

FLUID-ACTUATED TIE TAMPER.

Application filed July 20, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS A. J IMERSON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Athens, county of Bradford, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain F luid- Actuated Tie Tamper, of which the following is a specification accompanied by drawin s.

This invention relates to fluid actuated tie tampers of the hammer type, having a fluid pressure cylinder and a tamper steel having a shank provided with a collar and adapted to extend into the cylinder in position to receive the impact of the blows of the hammer. Suitable cushioning means may be provided in the front head of the machine forwardly of the said collar on the tie tamper steel for cushioning the steel within the front head, and in one usual form of the device the front head is removably secured to the cylinder by means of a screw threaded connection and suitable locking device to prevent the front head from becoming loosened or unscrewed due to the blows of the hammer on the steel and to the vibration set up in the machine.

Trouble has been experienced not only in securely holding the front head in position on the cylinder and preventing breakage, but in firmly bolting the back head, having a double grip handle bar, to the cylinder in such manner that neither the bolts or the back head will break under actual conditions of work.

The objects of the present invention are to improve upon the construction of tie tampers of the type referred to, render them stronger, more rugged and durable and better able to withstand rough usage and the eculiar nature of the work which they are intended to perform, reduce breakage, and produce a tie tamper in which the construction and location of separate fastening bolts for the front head and back head relatively to each other and to the manner in which the tool is held to its work by the handle bar and hand grips, permits better and more convenient location of fastening devices and distribution ports under actual working conditions and affords strength in those places in which strength is most needed.

To these and other ends the invention is .illustrated in one of its preferred forms in the accompanying drawings, in wh1ch Serial No. 486,306.

Figure l is a side elevation of a tie tamper constructed in accordance with my invention, and

Figure 2 is a side elevation at right angle to Figure 1 partly in longitudinal section.

Referring to the drawings the fluid pressure cylinder A is provided with the reciprocating piston hammer B adapted to impart blows of impact to the shank C of the tie tamper steel D extending within the cylinder and having the usual collar 'E on the shank and the broadened tie tamper end F.

The shank C may be of hexagonal or other non-circular cross section to prevent rotation and is slidable in the sleeve G securely held within the front end of the cylinder. A buffer H preferably in the form of elastic material such as rubber, is located within the front head J forwardly of the collar E between a flan ed sleeve K and a washer L. The buffer Ifsleeve K and washer L may be, if desired, of substantially the same construction as that shown in my copending application, Serial No. 422,845, filed Nov. 9, 1920, for Tie tamper front end construction. The buffer H within the front end of the front head J cushions the blows of the collar E of the steel against the sleeve K. Nevertheless, the front head J of the machine is subjected to severe impact and great vibration which tends to loosen the front head and cause loss and breakage with the ordinary front head securing means heretofore provided.

In accordance with my im roved construction, the cylinder A is provi ed with bolt flanges O at the front end extending outwardly in the general direction of a plane passing through the axis of the cylinder, and bolt flanges P are also provided at the rear end of the cylinder extending outwardly therefrom in the general direction of an axial plane at right angles to the said plane of the front cylinder flanges O. The front head J is formed with bolt flanges Q cooperating with the front cylinder flanges O and bolts R having the flattened heads S, to prevent turning, locking washers T and nuts U are adapted to secure the front head to the cylinder, which forms a strong and rigid construction well adapted to withstand the severe action of the machine.

The back head V is formed with bolt flanges WV cooperating with the rear cylin- .ted to withstand the strains in the machine,

the bolts X are preferably provided in pairs, the bolts in each pair being spaced substantially close together, and as constructed, the

longitudinal planes passing through the opposite bolts X of opposite pairs extend substantially at right angles to the axial plane of the front head bolts R.

The back head V is provided with a rearwardly extending handle bar Y having an end grip Z lying substantially in the axial plane of the front head bolts R, and a forward transverse grip a extending perpendicularly from the handle bar Y substantially parallel to the end grip Z in a plane at right angles to the axial plane of said end rip Z. The handle bar Y, end grip Z and orward grip a are preferably all constructed integrally with each other and with the back head V.

In the operation of the tool, motive fluid is supplied at the inlet b and exhausted at one of the outlets c conveniently located 7 at opposite sides of the forward end of the cylinder substantially between the forwaro cylinder flanges 0, so that as the tool is shown, the flanges O extend at the sides and the exhaust from the outlet 0 is projected or carried to the front and does not blow against the operator handling the tool, since his position is at one side, generally with one or both feet toward the rear of the machine. The exhaust outlet not used is preferably plugged up or closed, as by the screw threaded plug (2. The tie tamper steel D is preferably so adjusted in the machine that the width of the face of the broadened end F extends transversely to the direction of the common axial plane of the rear cylinder flanges P and back head flanges W. As the tool is held in the hands of the operator by means of the grips Z and a at an angle to the horizontal, the principal bending strain comes at the joint between the cylinder and the back head, tending to shear the bolts X at this point, so that increased strength is provided by my construction and the bolts X lie above and below the joint as the tool is ordinarily held, thus stiffening each side of the joint. On the other hand, the front head bolts R preferably lie at each side of' the front head as the tool is held, which permits the exhaust outlets to be placed between theflanges O, and that exhaust outlet is preferably used which carries the exhaust to the front, out

of the way of the operator, the opposite exhaust 0 being plugged up as shown at d. The strain at the front head is materially reduced because of the fact that the front head J telescopes over the elongated reduced forward end 6 of the cylinder and affords a bearin and guide for the front head. The provisionof the two exhausts 0 at the forward end and the location of the inlet at one side of the cylinder allows the cylinder to be adjusted about its longitudinal axis with respect to the handle, so that the inlet may be located at the side of the machine which is nearest the source of fluid supply, and it is not necessary for the supply hose to cross the plane of the work. he machine may thus be used either as a right hand tool or a left hand tool, and when thus changed the plug d is removed from the exhaust port which appears at the front of the machine, rendering the front exhaust port operative and the rear exhaust is closed by insertion of the plug (2 and becomes inoperative.

I claim:

1. A fluid actuated tie tamper of the hammer type, comprising a fluid pressure cylinder having bolt flanges at the front and rear ends extending outwardly in axial planes at right angles to each other, front and back heads having outwardly extending flanges cooperating with the cylinder flanges, securing bolts for the front head and separate, securing bolts for the back head, at least one exhaust out-let for the cylinder located at the forward end between I the front cylinder flanges, the back head having a rearwardly extending handle bar provided with an end grip lying substantlally in the axial plane of the front end bolts, and a forward transverse grip extending perpendicularly from the handle bar substantially parallel to the end grip in a plane at right angles to the axial plane of said end grip, a tie tamper steel having a broadened working end, and a shank provided with a collar extending through the front head into the cylinder in position to receive the impact of the blows of the hammer, and an elastic buffer in the front head forwardly of the said collar, said shank being slidable but non-rotatable in the cylinder and front head.

A fluid actuated tie tamper of the hammer type, comprising a fluid pressure cyl inder having bolt flanges at the front and rear ends extending outwardly in axial planes at right angles to each other, front and back heads having outwardly extending flanges cooperating with the cylinder flanges, securing bolts for the front head and separate securing bolts for the back head, exhaustoutlets for the cylinder located at the forward end between the front cylinder flanges, the back head having a.

angles to the axial plane of said end grilp, a tie tamper steel having a broadened wor ing end, and a shank provided with a collar extending through the front head into the cylinder in position to receive the impact of the blows of the hammer, an elastic buffer in the front head forwardly of the said collar, said shank being slidable but non-rotatable in the cylinder and front head, and the steel being capable of adjustment so that the width of the face of the broadened tamper end extends transversely to the direction of the common axial plane of the rear cylinder flanges and back head flanges.

3. A fluid actuated tie tamper of the hammer type comprising a fluid pressure cylinder having bolt flanges at the front and rear ends extending outwardly in axial planes at right angles to each other, a separate front head and a separate back head, each having outwardly extendin flanges cooperating with the cylinder anges, securing bolts for the front head and separate securing bolts for the back head, a plurality of oppositely disposed exhaust outlets located at'the forward end between the front cylinder flanges, either one of said exhaust outlets being adapted to be rendered normally inoperative, the back head having a rearwardly extending handle bar provided with an end grip lying substantially in the axial plane of the front end bolts, and a forward transverse grip extending perpendicularly from the handle bar substantially parallel to the end grip in a plane at right angles to the axial plane of said end gr p and lying substantially in the axial plane of one of said exhaust outlets, and a tiev tamper steel having a broadened end and a shank extending into the cylinder, said steel bein capable of adjustment so that the width 0 the face of the broadened end extends trans versely to the direction of the common axial plane of the rear cylinder flanges and back head flanges.

4. A fluid actuated tie tamper of the hammer type comprising a fluid=..pressure cylinder having bolt flanges at the front and rear ends extending outwardly in axial planes at right angles to each other, a separate front head and a separate back head, each having outwardly extending flanges c0- operating with the cylinder flanges, securing bolts for the front'head and separate securing bolts for the-back head, a plurality of oppositely disposed exhaust outlets located at the forward end between the front cylinder flanges, either one of said exhaust outlets being adapted to be rendered normally inoperative, the back head having a rearwardly extending handle bar rovlded with an endgrip lying substantial y in the axial plane of the "front end bolts, and a forward transverse grip extending perpendicularly from the handle bar substantially parallel to the end grip in a plane at right angles to-the axial plane of said end grip and lying substantially in the axial plane of one of said exhaust outlets, and a tie tamper steel having a broadened end and a shank extending into the cylinder, said steel being capable of adjustment so that the width of the face of the broadened end extends transversely to the direction of the common axial plane of the rear cylinder flanges and back head flanges, the said cylinder having an inlet for motive fluid at one side and being capable of adjustment about its longitudinal axis with respect to the handle, so that said inlet may be located at the opposite side of the cylinder and the normally inoperative exhaust port rendered operative.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

FRANCIS A. JIMERSON. 

